Lately I have found myself constantly searching for new workshop ideas, and ways to improve the usability of my space. My workshop/woodworking shop is not like many others- it is fully confined in a 12′ enclosed trailer. It is well organized and thought out; however, that doesn’t mean that it can’t be better. Much like our woodworking projects themselves, the workshop is often an ongoing project. So in today’s post I am going to go over the 12 best small woodworking projects that have vastly improved my workflow and organization. They have even given me additional workshop ideas in the process.

The 12 best workshop ideas and small woodworking projects

Most of these projects do not require a lot of time or money to complete. They are often built with scrap wood/parts laying around the wood shop. Yet I have found each and every one of these to be a game changer for workflow and organization. So without further ado, lets dive right into them!

1) Nick Ferry’s table saw sled

When I first decided it was time to build a new table saw sled, I turned to Google- as I’m sure many of you do at the start of a new project. I browsed a few websites and watched a few videos, but remained relatively uninspired. Just when I was about ready to stop and draw up my own plans, I came across Nick Ferry’s YouTube video on his table saw sled. DYNAMITE! This is honestly the best sled I have ever used and the build is quite simple.

As you can see, not only is this table saw sled made for cross cutting, but it also includes a mitre sled attachment- how cool is that! For more information about Nick’s sled project, head over to his blog for instructions and plans. You will find a whole host of other workshop ideas on Nick’s site, so enjoy.

2) Ron Paulk’s idea to make your own track saw

Do you own a track/plunge cut saw? If not, this super simple workshop idea is for you! I am in this boat myself, hence how I came across Ron’s video. I am a mobile contractor and was sick of trying to break down large plywood or MDF stock on my table saw. Well with this DIY guide, anyone can turn their regular old circular saw into a track saw.

3) The Ron Paulk workbench

Now I wouldn’t necessarily call this a small woodworking project, however it is an amazing workshop idea. Especially for those with limited space. This is the project that inspired this entire list. I was building my mobile workshop and trying to figure out how I could have a full workbench that could collapse and be stored when I’m not on site. Eventually I stumbled upon Ron’s YouTube channel. It is an absolute goldmine for learning tips, tricks, and techniques to help you with just about anything woodworking related. I have linked here to the original Paulk Work bench, although he has created several iterations over the years. My suggestion is to grab a bag of popcorn and watch them all. Then immediately begin building one for yourself!

4) My air compressor cart

This is one project I also had to include on the list. And before you say it, yes I know I do not have a video of the build…

So what spawned the need for an air compressor car? Well last year I found myself building several decks and I was sick of hauling the air compressor, the hose, the nailers, etc. to the back yard every morning, and then back to the truck at the end of the day. So I decided to make myself an all-in-one air compressor cart that would allow me to transport everything from my trailer to any job in one trip. It has beefy air filled tires that allow me to go over pretty well any terrain, and easily fits through garden or fence gates.

If I were to rebuild this cart now I would make one change- Instead of using glue and small brad nails to hold my nailer dividers in place, I would cut dado’s directly in the plywood. The best part is I was able to build it almost entirely out of parts I had lingering around my workshop/garage. Now this has become one of the best workshop ideas I have come up with.

5) Shawn (at Stone and Sons Workshop) – Drill storage

I found this awesome drill storage project when I was looking for workshop ideas and organization ideas for my mobile workshop. Once again, space was at a premium and I wanted a place where all of my drills could hang. The thing I loved most about this project is that the drills hang upside down. Most other projects had the drill hanging near the handle/trigger, which could lead to unwanted wear and tear when pulling the trailer. Being in a trailer I had to make a few small tweaks- I made my unit a little smaller and my drill storage runs the entire length of the base. Either way this gave me the inspiration behind the drill storage I use today. Check out the build below, and the full post on the blog here.

6) Making a pull-out storage cabinet – First found on Sandra Powells’s site Sawdust Girl

This project is exactly as it sounds- instead of using standard drawers, flip them vertically and make it a pull out cabinet. In Sandra’s video, she will show you how to make them completely from scratch; however, I found this particularly useful when I had old cabinet drawers that I wanted to re-purpose. Sometimes new workshop ideas come from unusual places. With just a few simple modifications from her design, I was able to flip the entire unit sideways and wall mount it. I now use it for storing stuff like spray paints, glue bottles, and small storage containers.

For a full blog post on her pull out storage cabinets, check out her post on laundry organization.

So those are the 6 workshop ideas that I have found over the last several months that were a major help to me improving the flow and functionality of my workshop.

What I want to dive into next are 6 small woodworking projects that anyone can tackle. These are still workshop ideas in the sense that I have used them around my mobile workshop or garage in the past. They help in either organization, functionality, or just general use around the workshop.

7) Clamp storage

This is something I still struggle with in my mobile workshop. I have gone through several iterations of how I want to store my clamps, but none have quite fit the bill and matched exactly what I’m looking for (I’ll know what that is when I see it..). However, when my previous shop was built out of my garage, there was one system that stood above the rest. It combined 5 different storage systems into one highly function and organized space.

I came across this workshop idea on woodmagazine.com and immediately incorporated it into my shop at the time. It was one of the best organizational workshop ideas I’d ever used. The only reason I do not currently use the same system in my mobile shop is because of space constraints. You can check out the complete build article here. As you will see it is easy to build the racks themselves.

8) Scrap wood storage

Have you ever completed a woodworking project only to wonder what you are going to do with the leftover, but still very usable material? Figuring out a scrap wood storage method is absolutely essential to creating an organized, clutter free workshop. Pretty well every person I have ever worked with who didn’t have a scrap wood storage solution, wound up with piles on every work surface, corner, table, wall in their shop. This should be one of the very first small woodworking projects you tackle as you build out your shop. In the end, find the design the best suits your needs and space and get building it!

9) General Tool storage

Ever heard the saying “Drawers are where things go to die”? In some cases I really agree with this. Throwing a whole bunch of tools in a random drawer is a sure way to forget where you stored something. The key to an organized workshop is making sure every tool/everything has a specific home where it is stored while not in use. Finding the right general tool storage is highly dependent on your specific workshop, but I do believe two particular setups work best.

a) Mobile workshop ideas for tool storage

This is yet another workshop idea I have taken from Ron Paulk (originally seen in Ron Paulk’s SMART workshop) and I don’t think there is a better method out there, or at least I have not seen one yet. This method creates a simple box cabinet with dado’s regularly cut along the entire length. You are then able to insert dividers depending on the size of the tool. The beauty about this storage option is it is completely open and accessible, plus it is easy to alter should you add another tool or want to rearrange tool locations.

b) Garage or permanent shop tool storage 

I like my tools where I can see them and they are easy to grab. I am not a fan of having everything in cases or bags that need opening and digging through. That is why I love the french cleat system for garage workshops. This system (as best shown here by April Wilkerson) shows how you can have all of your tools immediately accessible and ready to use. It is a simple project to build, but one that will continue to pay you back in saved time down the road. Check out her video below.

10) DIY folding workbench

I will start by mentioning that this is one small woodworking project I have not actually built myself. This workshop idea is on the list because I often hear from clients, friends, and family that they don’t have enough room for a workbench. Either their workshop needs to share space with the garage (and believe it or not, people like to use them for cars up here…), or they only have a small room in the basement and don’t want to dedicate an entire area of floor space to a table/workbench. So with that in mind, building a folding workbench becomes a great solution. You can find tons of options with a simple google search, but once again April Wilkerson has made a video to show you a very simple, yet sturdy folding workbench. It will fit the bill for almost everyone.

It is stored flush against the wall when not in use, and can be dropped down at a moments notice. I can even see a scenario down the road where I add something like this in my shed or garage just to have the work space available. As April mentions, it can be completed in a single day with relatively little cost.

11) Charging station

Over years I have realized the major short coming of cordless work is a) owning enough batteries, and b) actually keeping those batteries charged up and ready when needed. Before I built the mobile workshop, I was constantly dragging around multiple chargers and trying to find outlets around the house to charge batteries. While this system worked just fine, I wasted a lot of time. It would be extremely convenient if they were all in one place and ready at a moments notice. So, when I built out the mobile shop, I was looking for workshop ideas that could solve this problem. I knew a charging station was a must-have necessity for me. Now I can simply plug in the trailer to any standard outlet and all of my internal trailer outlets are powered. My chargers never leave the charging station, and batteries only leave when they are in a tool. The added benefit is when a battery runs out, you are forced to bring it back to the charging station, helping you stay organized.

I chose to build my charging station right into my drill storage. My battery chargers sit below my drills and are plugged into a power bar. Make sure to use a power bar with an internal breaker to prevent from tripping the house breaker (where the trailer is plugged into). I have these power bars at every outlet in the trailer.

You can see my setup for charging and drill storage in the photo above. Currently, I have my Rigid drills hanging with their chargers below. I have a built in shelf above for all of the charged batteries above. My remaining drills (which take up the other 3 spots) are currently inside for a project, but their chargers remain below, and charged batteries on the shelf above. You can also see the shop style power bar with built in breaker mounted to the side of my charging station.

12) Bin storage

Finally, last but not least- a general storage system for miscellaneous parts. Everyone has a Tupperware of screws, nails, etc. that needs organizing, and very few of us take the time to sort through it. I truly believe that everyone needs several small parts organizers like this one from Stanley. You can even find them at places like Harbor Freight and Princess auto (brand is of no real importance here). I would just get a whole stack of identical ones. I have used these to sort out all of my loose nails, screws, fasteners, bolts, nuts, washers, etc. However, I still need to create an area where they are stored in the mobile workshop.

The video you will see below is very similar to what I built in my garage. It is perfect to keep all of the small parts organizers together and accessible.

You will have noticed that the major theme of this post was workshop ideas that focus on organization and functionality. One of the largest annoyances to any project is constantly searching for materials, or tools, disrupting your workflow and even enjoyment of the project. Take the time to get organized. Not only is it fun to complete a bunch of small woodworking projects, but you will also stumble into a bunch of other workshop ideas throughout the process.

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